GR1010491B - Commercialtongue-type lock locking automatically at every closure of the door - Google Patents

Abstract

The 'tongue' type commercial lock which automatically locks on each door closure is a lock in which the upper tongue (1) is used as a trigger sensor for the lower automatic locking mechanism of the tongue (2). The lock is unlocked by using the key or the knob that is now integrated on the cylinder and which key and knob, by rotation, act directly on the lower tongue and its security (6), unlocking it and moving it inside the lock, where the tongue is ready for a new locking cycle. Also necessary for the successful operation of the lock is the use of a hinged striking plate (Diagram D), which allows the upper tongue of the lock (1) to compress and enter the lock when the door is closed but also allows it to exit freely from the striking plate when unlocking.

Description

DESCRIPTION

'TONGUE' TYPE COMMERCIAL LOCK THAT AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS EACH TIME IT IS CLOSED

CAUDAL

The invention refers to the conversion of a tongue-type door lock so that when the door is closed, automatic locking is carried out from the lower "tongue" of the lock, which offers increased resistance in cases of its possible violation, resulting in the maximum degree of door security being achieved, every time the door closes.

Similar locks that do the same job have been on the market for the last few years with an ever-increasing demand from the buying public who are constantly looking for new and more effective ways to secure their property. These locks mostly achieve automatic locking with some built-in electrical circuit which obviously requires an electrical supply circuit to them.

The advantage of this invention is that it intervenes by design, in a very simple way, in the existing product that is already on the market and manages to upgrade the safety it provides, without the use of electricity and electrical components. The manufacturing company will not need to redesign. its entire production line, some of the existing lock materials can be eliminated and the final product will be able to be produced relatively economically. Finally, because the new product will not differ in relation to the dimensions of the original product, the buyer is provided with the convenience of replacing the old lock, due to compatibility with the new one as well as the fact that the user's operating routine does not change significantly, since this is done almost in the same way as the previous one.

In the attached drawings, the parts that make up this lock can be seen and in more detail drawing A shows the cross-section of a 'tongue' lock as it already exists on the market while drawing B shows the cross-section of a lock, as will be described and analyzed below, in the detailed disclosure of the present invention. Drawing A shows the upper tongue of the lock (1) and the reinforced lower tongue (2). In drawing B the metal scissor fitting (3), the 'L' shaped metal fitting (4), the fixed point (5) molded on the lock chassis, the safety (6) of the lower tongue of the lock can be seen inaccurately , the spring (7) as well as its holding case (8) formed on the chassis. Finally, plan C shows a lock counter as it already exists, while plan D shows the proposal for a new type of counter as will be analyzed below, in the closed (D1) and open (D2) position respectively.

The "tongue" type commercial lock (Scheme A) which locks automatically every time the door is closed, according to the present invention, has a basic feature that it works completely mechanically and for this reason does not require the use of electrical components and the supply of electricity . In the new lock, the upper tongue of triangular cross-section (1) remains, but it is not used to secure the door in the first place but now functions only as a mechanism that activates a series of developments within the lock mechanism whenever the door is closed, with the final result that the lower, reinforced tongue (2) locks.

When the door is open, the upper tongue of the lock is outside and the lower tongue is inside the lock, just like the original lock works. In the new lock, the back of the upper tongue contacts a metal scissor fitting (3) the upper end of which rests in a fixed point on the lock chassis but can rotate freely about it. The contact between them is made in such a way that every time the door closes and therefore the upper tongue (1) is compressed towards the inside of the lock, the rear part of it presses the scissor mechanism as a result of which it closes like a scissor and raises the lower end of it. Attached to this end is another metal part, a long and narrow 'L'-shaped plate (4), the lower edge of which is in contact with the projection of the movable safety (6) of the lower tongue of the lock. In order to ensure the stability of the whole mechanism described above and the control of the movements that will take place during its activation, the 'L'-shaped sheet metal (4) has a long narrow hole in its middle to be able to enter it, corresponding cross-sectional fixed, long, narrow, metal projection (5) which is formed on the chassis of the lock. The height of this projection is approximately half that of the corresponding hole so that the 'L'-shaped sheet metal (4) can be moved in relation to the vertical axis when necessary.

So when the upper tongue (1) is compressed, its rear part presses the scissor component (3) forcing it to fold like a closing scissor and thus eventually lift its lower end which in turn drags it upwards and the 'L'-shaped sheet metal (4), whose purpose is to act as a hook that lifts the safety (6) of the lower tongue (2) so that it is released. Then and with the help of the pressure exerted by the compressed spring (7) located inside a metal molded case (8) in the lock chassis, the lower tongue (2) is pushed to extend and lock the door.

As we said above, the 'L' type metal part (4) is in contact with the lower part of the safety projection (6) of the lower tongue of the lock. This is done only when this projection and consequently the lower tongue of the lock, is in the middle position (unlock position - Drawing B). We are talking about the same safety as the one that is unsecured by the 'tongue' of the lock's navel when we turn the key. The contact between the 'L' type metal part and the lower part of the safety protrusion is simple, it does not have the characteristics of a fixed and permanent connection.

In summary, when the door closes, the upper tongue of the lock is compressed and through the mechanism described above, we finally end up with the metal part 'L' being raised vertically, which hooks and drags in the same movement the security of the lower lock. The effect of this is to unlock the lower tongue of the lock, which, being unlocked, waits for a horizontal thrust to push it to move from the inside position, to the outside position (lock position). This impulse is taken from the compression spring (7), one end of which is firmly seated on a base (8), which is an extension of the lock chassis, while the other end of it touches the back of the lower tongue to act on it the pressure. As the lower tongue of the lock is disengaged and pushed by the spring out of the lock to move into the locked position, the tab of the lower tongue safety (6) slides out of contact with the metal 'L' fitting. (4) who raised it and at this point, with the action of the spring that pushes the lower tongue, these two components separate from each other.

Above, the process by which the lock is automatically locked every time the door is closed was analyzed. Let's now look at the unlocking process so that a full cycle of its operation has been described. So when we unlock the lower tongue with the help of the key or the knob, it enters the lock, compressing (charging) the spring and as the safety (6) of the lower tongue secures it in the unlocked position (Drawing B), it simultaneously returns in contact with the 'L' part (4) on which it sits and re-hooks. This phase of the lock is the unlocking phase and of course the waiting phase for a new locking cycle as soon as the upper tongue of the lock is compressed again.

A very important detail that is also an important feature of the new lock is that in the unlocking phase analyzed above, the upper tongue of the lock (1) was not affected at all by the new unlocking mechanism. When unlocking that is, the upper tongue was not pulled into the lock. If we analyze the locking process again focusing this time on the upper tongue, we will see that when the door closes, the upper tongue is momentarily compressed into the lock activating the automatic locking of the lower tongue but when the door finally closes, the upper tongue operates as in all locks of this type and finally exits it again and ends up inside the hole that is now in the door frame. In order for the lock to unlock and the door to open, in addition to the lower tongue, the upper tongue must also enter the lock. This is a problem since during the process of unlocking the lock, the user uses the key or the knob, which in the new lock, only act on the lower tongue and do not have the ability to move the upper tongue as well. This is a design feature of the new lock that is done on purpose since if, upon unlocking, the upper tongue could enter together with the lower tongue, then as the upper tongue would enter the middle position, the lower tongue automatic locking mechanism would would be activated and the lower tongue would be instantly commanded to lock again, which we don't want since at this stage we want to unlock the door.

By giving this design feature to the new lock, we solve one problem but create another which is how the door will finally open since we will have unlocked the lower tongue with the help of the key or knob but it will have remained in the outside position , inside the hole of the case, that is, the upper tongue. In order to overcome this problem and to be able to make the lock functional, two other interventions must be made with the new lock. An intervention in the lock counter (Diagram C) in the door frame in order to allow the upper tongue to be disengaged freely. So the counter on the case, of the upper tongue, we need it during the locking process since it is what the upper tongue is pressed against and activates the locking mechanism, but we do not want it during the unlocking process because it blocks the upper tongue and does not allow the door to open. In other words, we need a countermeasure with reverse operation. There is already a mechanism of this type on the market, which is the electric anti-skid cap with a button to release the lock, and in fact what we need is only the mechanical part of it and not the electric part. Such a mechanism compresses the upper tongue when the door is closed, which is what we want because this is how the automatic locking mechanism is activated, while when opening, the temporary blockage it creates on the upper tongue easily subsides by exerting a little pressure on the door leaf so that this to open

with a simple push, after of course the lower tongue has been inserted first, into the lock using the key or knob. Also, tampering with the latch can be done more simply, with another type of hinged mechanism, in which the vertical metal part of the latch-case of the door, i.e. the part of the case that comes into contact with the upper tongue of the lock and compresses it when closed, it is hinged and not fixed (Diagram D), able to rotate around an axis located in its upper part (Diagram D2). Thus, again when the door is closed, the hinged abutment is vertical due to gravity and in a terminal position that does not allow it to retreat further from the pressure of the upper tongue (Diagram D1) when the door is closed while when opening and under the pressure of the upper tongue as we push the door open, it can retract freely by rotating about its upper hinge point (Diagram D2) so that it does not resist the upper tongue and it can freely exit the door frame during the unlocking process. After opening the door and as the upper tongue has moved away from the hinged counter, due to gravity, it returns to its equilibrium position (Diagram D1), i.e. in the vertical position expecting to bring resistance to the upper tongue when the door is closed and activate its automatic lock.

The above anti-crimp mechanism is a necessary element of this invention and an integral element of this patent as it accompanies and completes the function of the automatic locking lock.

The second necessary intervention that must be done for the proper operation and use of the lock is to combine it with a cylinder using a key on the outside and an integrated knob on the cylinder, on the inside. Thus, when the user is outside and wants to enter the space protected by the lock, he uses the key, while when he is inside, a knob is used, both of which directly rotate the cylinder tongue which unlocks each time the lower tongue of the lock which it is automatically locked. Such cylinders are commercially available.

Claims (5)

1. The "tongue" type commercial lock that automatically locks every time the door is closed, consists of the classic mortise metal door lock, in which the upper tongue was sensor that initiates the process of unlocking the lower tongue of the lock and the activation of the entire automatic locking mechanism consisting of a mechanical system in which the horizontal movement made by the upper tongue of the lock is converted into a vertical movement of an 'L' shaped metal part . which has the purpose of unlocking the lower tongue of the lock, which under the pressure created by a spring adapted to it, is pushed to exit the lock and lock the door. The process of unlocking the lock is done with the use of the key & the knob integrated in the cylinder and requires cooperation with the hinged counter on the door frame. 2. The commercial lock of the "tongue" type which automatically locks every time the door is closed, according to claim 1, characterized in that its upper tongue functions exclusively as a start sensor of the automatic locking mechanism. 3. The "tongue" type commercial lock which locks automatically on each closing of the door, according to claim 1, is characterized by the existence of an 'L' shaped metal part, which, due to its open end, allows the safety of the lower tongue, to it can sliding over it, to disengage and move away from it during the activation of the automatic locking of the lock but also allows it to be re-engaged during the unlocking process in which the lower tongue safety returns to its original position completing a full cycle of operation. 4. The "tongue" type commercial lock which locks automatically on each closing of the door, according to claim 1, characterized by the existence of a horizontal compression spring, one end of which is fixedly attached to the lock chassis while the other end is in contact with the back of the lower tongue of the lock so that it is compressed when the lock is in the unlocked position and can transfer its energy to it, moving it forward when it is released from the safety which holds it. 5. The commercial lock of the "tongue" type that automatically locks every time the door is closed, according to claim 1 is characterized by the existence of a hinged countersink in the door frame, which allows the upper tongue of the lock to compress and enter the lock when closing the door but also allows it to exit the strike during the unlocking process without having to re-enter it.